Detachable union



y 936. R. E. JONES 2,042,229

DETACHABLE UNION Filed Dec. 15, i934 I w'w \kAb INVENTOR 7 Fmz BF? 7 @mw K M ATTORNEY Patented May 26, 1936 UNITED STATES DETACHABLE UNION Ray E. Jones, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Detroit Lubricator Company, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application December 13, 1934, Serial No. 757,272

8 Claims.

This invention relates in general to unions, and more particularly to detachable unions.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a new and improved detachable union which may be readily positioned on a tubular member at a point intermediate its ends.

Another object of the invention is to provide a detachable union for connected tubular members of different diameters, and to provide a union which may be readily assembled and or disassembled without the necessity of disengaging said tubular members.

A further object is to provide a union of the above-mentioned character which is eflicient in i5 operation yet simple in construction both in regards to its parts and their assembly.

The invention consists in the improved construction and combination of parts, to be more fully described hereinafter and the novelty of 20 which will be particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed.

In the accompanying drawing, to be taken as a part of this specification, I have fully and clearly illustrated a preferred embodiment of my inven- 25 tion, in which drawing- Fig. 1 is a View shown in elevation of a temperature control apparatus embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a view shown in cross section of the 30 temperature responsive element and detachable union therefor;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a nut shown removed;

Fig. 4 is a view shown in cross section, taken in the direction of the arrows 44 of Fig. 3;

35 Fig. 5 is a plan view showing half of a split washer;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the other half of the split washer;

Fig. 7 is a side view in elevation of a split pack- 40 ing ring, and V Fig. 8 is a plan view of the packing ring.

In the drawing, there is shown a temperature control apparatus which comprises in general a thermostatic switch mechanism l and a tem- 45 perature responsive element 2 connected by a tube 3. The temperature responsive element includes a tubular member or bulb 5 which surrounds a portion of the end of the relatively smaller tube 3. A closure member 1 is provided 50 to close the end of the bulb and has an opening 8 through which the tube 3 extends into the bulb. The bulb 5 and tube 3 are fixedly connected to each other and to the closure member I such as by soldering, indicated at H], which also provides a good seal between the tubes.

Any other suitable means of connecting the tubes may be employed. In the bulb 5 and tube 3 is contained a suitable expansible fluid which operates in response to changes in temperature to operate the thermostatic switch in the well known '5 manner. Any suitable type of switch may be used. Temperature responsive elements of this type are frequently employed in connection with controlling temperatures in boilers and the like and are arranged to extend through an opening 10 in the wall of the boiler, indicated at H, and be mounted therein as shown in Fig. 1.

For mounting the temperature responsive element in a wall of a boiler, I provide a detachable union which may be readily assembled and/or disassembled with the bulb 5 and tube 3 after they are connected together by the closure member 1. This detachable union comprises a sleeve member l2 having bores l4 and I5 of relatively difierent diameters providing an outward facing annular shoulder IS. The sleeve member l2 slidably receives the closed end of the bulb 5 which extends into the sleeve in the inner and smaller bore I 4 and preferably with its closed end substantially flush with the shoulder IS. A pair of flat circular washers or clamping plates 18 having packing material l9, preferably a fiat disc, therebetween are arranged to seat on the shoulder I6. The washers l8 and disc [9 preferably substantially fit the bore l5 and are provided with alined central apertures which slidably fit the tube 3. The bore I5 is threaded to receive a packing nut or gland 2| which extends thereinto to engage and compress the packing material to seal the bore through the sleeve member by radial expansion of disc l9 against the wall of bore l5 and the periphery of tube 3. The disc l9 due to its radial or lateral expansion also serves to frictionally hold the bulb 5 tightly in fixed position in sleeve member I2.

The washers 18 are made in halves, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, which permits them to be positioned around the tube 3 with the parting lines of the washers preferably at right angles. The packing material I9 is split obliquely which permits it to be slipped into position around the tube 3. The packing nut 2| is provided with a longitudinal slot 23 preferably of a width for free sliding fit on tube 3 and which extends from one end of the nut to the other and inwardly beyond its center thereby providing a longitudinal central bore. Thus by reason of the slot 23 the packing nut can also be positioned on the tube 3 for insertion into the sleeve 12.

From the foregoing description, it will now be appreciated that I have provided a new and improved detachable union for mounting tubular members in the wall of a boiler or the like of a character such that it may be arranged in position on a tube at a point intermediate its ends without threading the same over the tube. Furthermore, I have provided a union which may be readily assembled or disassembled, thus permitting the ready replacement of parts such as packing material.

It is to be understood that although the invention is shown and described in relation with a temperature responsive element, it is not limited to such elements as it could be used as a union between two connected pipes of difierent diameters, and accordingly is limited only by the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A device of the character, described, comprising a tubular member, a second tubular member surrounding said first tubular member, a sleeve member receiving said second-named tubular member and having an internal shoulder, packing material surrounding said first-named tubular member and seated on said shoulder, and a compression member extending into said sleeve member and engaging said packing material to seal the bore'through the sleeve member and to compress said packing material to hold said tubu lar members against relative movement, said compression member having a longitudinal slot extending from end to end and to its center whereby the said compression member can be positioned on said first-named tubular member for insertion in said sleeve member.

2. A device of the character described, comprising a tubular member, a tubular casing enclosing a portion of said first-named member, a

and having a slot extending longitudinally of the bore of said compression member and intersecting the same whereby the compression member may "be slipped over the first-named tubular member into position for insertion in said sleeve member. I 3. A device of the character described, comprising a sleeve member having a two-diameter bore providing a shoulder, a tubular member inserted in the smaller bore, the end of the tubular member being within and substantially flush with said shoulder, a second relatively smaller tubular member extending through said sleeve member and into said first-named tubular member and being fixed thereto, closure means between said tubular members, packing material surrounding said smaller tubular member and seated on the shoulder, and a compression member extending into said larger bore and engaging said packing material to seal the bores through said sleeve member, said compression member \having'a bore and being provided with a slot extending longitudinally of the bore of said compression member and intersecting the same whereby the. compression member may be positioned on said second-named tubular member in position for insertion in said sleeve member.

4. In a device of the character described, a tubular member, a second tubular member enclosing a portion of the first tubular member and extending to a point intermediate its ends, said second tubular member being closed, a sleeve member slidable over said second tubular member and having an internal shoulder, said sleeve member having a bore therethrough, packing material surrounding said first tubular member and seated on said shoulder, and a packing nut extending into said sleeve member and engaging said packing material to seal the bore of said sleeve member, said nut having a bore and being provided with a slot extending longitudinally of the bore of said nut and intersecting the same whereby the nut can straddle said first-named tubular member in position for insertion into said sleeve member.

5. In a device of the character described, a tubular member, a second tubular member surrounding an end portion of the first and being fixed thereto, a sleeve member receiving said second-named member and having an internal shoulder, a pair of washers disposed in said sleeve member surrounding said first-named tubular member and seating on said shoulder, said washers being split so that they can be slipped over said first-named tubular member in position for seating on said shoulder, a packing material between said split washers, and a nut extending into said sleeve member and compressing said packing to. seal the opening through said sleeve member and also to hold said tubular members against relative movement, said nut having'a bore and being provided with a slot extending longitudinally of the bore of said nut and intersecting the same whereby the nut may be assembled in position over the first-named tubular member.

6. A device of the character described, comprising a closed tubular member arranged to project through an opening in a wall of a chamber, a second tubular member extending into the first, said second member being of smaller diameter than the first, a closure member between said members, a packing material surrounding said smaller tubular member and seating against the end of the larger tubular member, and a packing nut for engaging said packing material to seal the opening, said packing material when compressed expanding to hold said tubular members against relative movement, said nut being provided with a longitudinal slot extending from end to end and to its center whereby it can be slipped over the smaller tube for positioning against the packing material. I

7. A device of the character described, comprising a sleeve member having a two-diameter bore providing a shoulder, a tubular member having one end extending into the smaller bore of said sleeve member substantially flush with said shoulder, a second tubular member extending through said sleeve member and into said firstnamed tubular member, a closure member between said tubular members, a pair of washers disposedin the larger bore of said sleeve member with one of said Washers seating on said shoulder, a ring-shaped packing material disposed between the washers, the washers being formed in halves and the packing material being split so they can be positioned around the said second tubular member and in position in said larger bore, a

centrally bored packing nut extending into said sleeve member and into the larger bore thereof for compressing said packing material to seal the bore through said sleeve member, said nut being provided with a slot extending from end to end and intersecting the central bore thereof whereby the nut can be positioned on said secondnamed tubular member for insertion in said sleeve member.

8. A packing gland for a tubular member comprising a sleeve member through which the tubular member extends with end portions projecting from opposite ends of said sleeve member, said sleeve member having a two-diameter bore providing an internal shoulder with the wall of the bore of smaller diameter being in spaced relation to the tubular member so that the tubular member is slidable through the sleeve member to position the sleeve member between the ends of the tubular member, a pair of washer members surrounding said tubular member and disposed in the larger bore of said sleeve member with one of said washer members being arranged to abut said shoulder, packing material disposed between said washer members and expansible radially upon being compressed to frictionally hold said sleeve member and said tubular member against relative movement, and a compression member for compressing said packing material between said washer members.

RAY E. JONES. 

